Category Archives: Co. Down

Beautiful Ulster, Co. Down

Stormy Newcastle, Co.Down

What a wind!

Newcastle Co.Down is a favourite of mine, with it’s beautiful setting; the scenery that inspired Percy French to write his famous song, “Where the Mountains of Mourne Sweep Down to the Sea.”  He might not have found it just so inspiring today, for the wind was blowing a gale, and the seas were rough – the mountains overcast and dark.

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In this image I was trying to show the darkness of the mountains against the stormy sea.  Shot in Acros Black and White, F=18mm, f/16 @ 1/40th sec ISO400

I had the Fujifilm X-T30, with a standard zoom, the 18-55mm f/2.8-4.  I love using this camera, for it’s small, but with a powerful processing engine.  For this walk I kept the camera on ISO400, with the film simulation mode set to Acros Black and White and shooting simultaneous Jpegs and RAW.

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Co. Down, Commercial Photography, Photo-Technique, Still Life, Training

Burning Waste for Heat

Following all the political controversy about the ‘Renewable Heat Incentive’ and the sudden proliferation of wood burners in deserted outhouses and barns, one bold company in the manufacturing industry has decided to recycle all its own waste wood shavings, by installing a furnace to provide the heat for their factory.  In the interests of investigative photo-journalism, I took a look into it, and here’s what I found…

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Beautiful Ulster, Co. Down, History, Ireland, Landscapes

Kilwarlin and the Battle of Thermopylae

Kilwarlin Moravian Church and Thermopylae in Co. Down!

Kilwarlin Moravian Church was founded by John Cennick (He of Gracehill, Ballymena fame) in 1755. 

Click to see post about Gracehill

Kilwarlin is described on some internet sites as a ‘small village near Hillsborough, Co.Down’. The truth is that it is scarcely that, rather a ribbon development of homes along a very narrow country road, not wide enough for two vehicles to pass, and accessible only with great care.

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Co. Down, Photo-Essay, Streetscapes

Moneyreagh Gospel Hall – Update

In June 2018 I made some photographs of the derelict exterior of the old Moneyreagh Gospel Hall.  The building had been unused for some years and was up for sale.  Here’s one of the images from that day…

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The hall has, presumably, been sold, and the roof has been removed, and the walls stripped back to the brick, – so it’s probably going to be converted to a dwelling.  I stopped at the site a few days ago to make some more photographs, and to see what the inside of the building is like now. Continue reading Moneyreagh Gospel Hall – Update →

Beautiful Ulster, Co. Down, Uncategorized

Mountains and Sea, Castles and Forests.

South Down – Mountains and Sea, Castles and Forests.

Nestling in the shadow of Slieve Donard, the highest peak in the Mountains of Mourne, is one of the most beautiful areas of Northern Ireland.  Driving towards Newcastle, whether through Ballynahinch or Downpatrick, one will pass through Clough, where on the left hand side of the road is Clough Castle, an ancient Motte, probably dating back to Norman times.

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Dundrum Castle

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Beautiful Ulster, Co. Down

Comber Cabbage Crop…

Some time ago I made images of a field of barley at Comber, and I uploaded two of them to Pixabay, the photo-sharing website.

They’ve been downloaded 91 times, so far, – which is quite nice.  But just down the road from the now-harvested barley field, there are acres upon acres of cabbages, and since I now consider myself an expert vegetable – (photographer!) – I couldn’t resist stopping to get a few photos.  Of cabbages…  Er, yes.  Cabbages.

 

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Beautiful Ulster, Co. Armagh, Co. Down, History

Gilford, Tullylish and Moyallen.

With a couple of hours to kill in Craigavon, I decided to make a photograph of each of the Craigavon Roundabouts – but then I’d second thoughts.  After all, I’d only a couple of hours, not all day!  So instead, I took a drive out to Gilford and Tullylish, and on the way back to Portadown, went to look at the Moyallen Quaker Meeting House.  Here’s a few images…

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Gilford Mill

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Beautiful Ulster, Belfast, Co. Down, Ireland, Uncategorized

Eleventh July at Ballybeen.

Eleventh July at Ballybeen!

Ballybeen is a large housing development close to our studio location in Dundonald.  The majority of people who live there are the decent Protestant working class people of Ulster – my own background.  For centuries July has been a special month for them – the annual celebration of victory of William of Orange at the Battle of the Boyne, which ushered in the Glorious Revolution, enshrined the Constitutional Monarchy in the British Isles, dethroned the despotic Stuart kings, and guaranteed civil and religious liberty for all.

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William of Orange on a Banner

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